My Glowforge just stopped working, no laser, no cutting. The machine is trying to do its job but it doesn’t cut or engrave what should I do. In the mean time i called glowforge and now I have to wait for a phone call. Does anyone have any idea why this would happen?
It could be many things, there is not enough information. I would try and get specifics that you can figure and get photos where you can see anything different from usual.
Hi @customcraftstore. I’m sorry to hear that your Glowforge is encountering some trouble as it tries to print. If your printer head is moving but you aren’t seeing the laser marking your material, we’ll need to do some troubleshooting to determine why this is happening.
First, let’s check to make sure the mirror in the printer head is installed correctly and not in the path of the laser beam.
1. Follow steps 1-5 under the heading Wiping the Mirror in the Printer Head.
2. If you see damage to the mirror or the plastic handle (for example, if the plastic handle has been melted), please check the interior of the printer head for any additional damage. If you notice anything out of place, please take a photo and include it in your reply, so I can help with ordering replacement parts.
3. If the mirror and printer head look good, reinstall the mirror and move to the next steps.
Next, please run a test print. To help me determine the specific source of trouble, I’ll have some questions for you about what the printer is doing while printing.
1. Place a sheet of Proofgrade material in the bed of your Glowforge and open the Gift of Good Measure design.
2. Before you start the print, please select the default Proofgrade settings for the material you are using. Once you’ve selected the material, you will see the word, “Cut”, “Score”, or “Engrave” under each step in the design.
3. Once you are ready, push the button and start the print. While the print is running, please note your answers the following questions:
- Is the laser marking the material as expected?
- Is the printer head moving during the print?
- Do you see a light in the laser tube during the print?
- Do you hear any unusual noises from the left side of the printer?
4. As the print finishes, leave the lid closed and wait until the fans stop and the lid image updates on screen in the App.
5. If the laser appeared and the print was successful, the likely issue was the setting on the previous print was set too low for the laser to appear. If so, please check your settings and try another print. If the laser did not appear, please move to the next step.
6. Take a close look at the laser tube. If you see any of the issues on this list, please reply and include a photo.
Do you see any damage to the inner glass tubes, such as a crack or loose pieces of glass?
Do you see anything in the laser tube that looks foamy or bubbly? (When normal, the coolant is clear.)
Do you notice any liquid in or around the printer?
I followed all the cleaning steps.
The mirror looks fine,no damage.
I saw no broken glass or liquid.
Proofgrade material was used.
The laser is not marking.
The printer head is moving.
No visible light in laser tube.
No odd noises.
Upon initializing print a red light briefly appears where cut should start then vanishes.
Hi again. Thank you for getting back to me with the results of the checks. This may require the printer to be replaced as a next step. I just sent you an email to help continue troubleshooting this. Can you confirm that you have received it? I’ll keep this Community thread open to make sure you received my email and will look forward to your email response.